Flower power is in full bloom at the Keegan Theatre and it’s pretty damn groovy.

Keegan Theatre on Church Street NW has been transformed into a hippie’s paradise, like a found loft in the East Village, appointed with mismatched furniture, rope swings, and cozy grottos where love is love and love-making is always a possibility.

Out of this perfect greenhouse the days of Vietnam War protests, dropping out, and free love grows anew in this mesmerizingly sensual trip to 1967 for the “American tribal love-rock musical,” Hair.

The improvisational nature of Hair is right at home with this gifted ensemble, wholly believable as a group of drop-outs who live and love communally. They share drugs, swap partners, and embrace the world around them with a combination childlike innocence and revolutionary fervor.

Each cast of Hair takes a name for itself, taking a tip from the show’s earliest productions. The ensemble at Keegan, under the inspired direction by Mark and Susan Rhea, dubbed themselves the WAPPO Tribe. The actual Wappo tribe, once inhabited California’s Napa Valley, were known for wearing little if any clothing.

That being said, let’s get this bit of news out of the way quickly: yes, there is nudity in Keegan’s production. Not a wappo-ing amount, but it’s there, in the traditional spot at the close of the first act, during the poignant “Where Do I Go?” The moment is handled as a beautiful, organic extension of the story and the relationships that make up the heart of Hair.

The central relationship is a complicated love triangle between three tribe members: Claude, Berger and Sheila. Claude is the dreamer, sensitive, gentle, and playful. Paul Scanlan (the Emcee in Keegan’s Cabaret) brings out the sweetness and the complexities of Claude, a young man torn by the desire to escape society’s pressures and do what is right by his family.

By contrast, Berger, is the wild, satyr-as-played-by-Hippie-Jesus ring-leader of the tribe. The gifted Josh Sticklin just is Berger – you cannot fake seduction, charm, sexuality, and still keep a twinkle in your eye. Woven between Claude and Berger is Sheila (Caroline Wolfson bringing sensitivity and effortless grace to the role.) Sheila is a vehement war protestor and NYU student who is also clearly smitten with both of her long-locked lover boys.

For all the talk through the years about Hair’s thin plot, I would say look no further than three people in love and you have more than enough to hang a tale. Together, Scanlan, Sticklin and Wolfson show the simplicity of three people for whom loving each other knows few boundaries except for the flaws that make them human.

Members of the cast of Hair at Keegan Theatre. (Photo: C. Stanley Photography

There are high stakes in Hair, too. As Claude struggles to fit into the Tribe, he is pulled in the other direction. His hallucinogenic journey, “Walking in Space,” gives him plenty to think about, including what must be sacrificed.

Harmony and understanding converge from all aspects of the production. Collaborating with co-directors Mark A. Rhea and Susan Marie Rhea, the designers give the youthful cast a fertile playground in which to seduce us back to the late-60s for the ultimate be-in – from the scenic design by Matthew Keenan, ably lit by Allan Sean Weeks, and the subtle sound design by Tony Angelini. The silky, vested and fringed wardrobe by costume designer Chelsey Schuller is right on the money, too. And what would Hair the show be without the ‘down to there’ hair that is celebrated as a symbol of the free-spirit, tune-out and turn-on vibe that is central to the show. Craig Miller has worked wonders with hair of all shapes and sizes, real and wigged.

Giving soul to Hair is the eclectic, syncopated, and multi-faceted score by Galt MacDermot and lyrics by co-writers (and original stars) Gerome Ragni and James Rado. Call it rock if you want, because it’s certainly not traditional Broadway. McDermot said he wrote a funk show. As for me, I think the score is everything it needs to be, moving from psychedelic anthems – “Aquarius,” “Walking in Space” – to soul-baring ballads – “Easy to Be Hard” – and biting novelty songs that comment on racial conditions (“Colored Spade”), sex (“Sodomy”), politics, and, anti-war sentiments.

If, like me, your only exposure to the songs has been recordings, this cast and the kick-ass band (under the direction of Jake Null) will make every note and lyric stick with you long after they have hung up their tie-dye.

When the tribe sings together, the effect is often chilling: “Aquarius,” lead by Ines Nassara as Ronni, raises goose-bumps. And the closing sequence, “The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)” and “Eyes Look Your Last,” left me breathless.

To borrow from “Aquarius,” Keegan’s Hair is a golden living dream of visions that deserve to be shared.

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KEEGAN’s WARNING: Contains nudity and strong language. Parental discretion is highly advised and children under the age of 14 will NOT be permitted in the theater.

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About Jeffrey Walker

Jeff has written for DC Theatre Scene since 2012, turning in nearly 150 reviews or features – and counting. He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association. He appreciates the opportunity to write about the rich variety of theatre in the DC-MD-VA area. Jeff lives safely below the Beltway where he is a theatre educator, novice playwright, husband and father. He is also an experienced director and actor and has performed in musicals, Shakespeare, classics, operettas, and contemporary works. He is a graduate of Roanoke College. Follow him on Twitter: @jeffwalker66

Comments

A pesky little clarification about the history of Hair: it is absolutely true that co-writers Rado and Ragni played the leads in the original Broadway cast (& it was that cast recording that became a best-selling album). However, in the original off-Broadway production (which was also recorded), Claude was played by an actor named Walker Daniels. He was replaced by Rado when the show moved uptown. I remember some critics at the time, who had seen both versions, felt that the show had greater poignancy with Daniels, who was younger than, and seemed much more callow than, Rado.

Kudos should be given to brilliant choreography by Miss Dolan! Along with the Rheas staging, the physical contribution makes the story of each number crystal clear and helps deepen the impact of an already powerful show. Well done!